Bait and Switch: Pentecostal Deception?

[EA]

For most of my life, I have been told that we must "catch 'em before we clean 'em." This phraseology is used to explain how the church should teach its traditions to visitors and new converts. The implication being that we should woo the visitor with great preaching, anointed singing and a great deal of love. The further implication being that traditions or "standards" shouldn't be preached to newcomers for fear they will walk away before partaking in the full Pentecostal experience.

To that end, many pastors in Oneness Pentecostal circles do not address traditions and standards from the puplit. These issues are normally addressed in a new convert's class, well after a newcomer has rubbed shoulders with the church for a while. Often newcomers have no idea what is expected of them, and what practical Pentecostalism involves, until they have felt a measure of acceptance within the local assembly.

However, at some point, perhaps months down the road, an effort will be made to assimilate the new convert into our shared culture. At this juncture, core disciplines such as standards of appearance, tithing, and other lifestyle expectations will be broached with the new convert. So, a new convert comes in with a wrong perception of what Pentecostalism is, because we hide things from them from the beginning of our new relationship. This leads to confusion, hurt and a sense of distrust.

I do realize not all churches practice this sort of deception, but I also realize that Pentecostal "bait and switch" does occur.

Wikepedia defines "bait and switch" as follows:

In retail sales, a bait and switch is a form of fraud in which the party putting forth the fraud lures in customers by advertising a product or service at an unprofitably low price, then reveals to potential customers that the advertised good is not available but that a substitute is. The goal of the bait-and-switch is to convince some buyers to purchase the substitute good as a means of avoiding disappointment over not getting the bait, or as a way to recover sunk costs expended to try to obtain the bait. It suggests that the seller will not show the original product or product advertised but instead will demonstrate a more expensive product.

I suppose I am most concerned about an incorrect view of Pentecostalism being fed to newcomers. I believe this is why we have so many folks experiencing the New Birth that leave after a short time. They were told to "come as you are" only to later find that statement changed to "come as we are."

Pardon my candor, but I believe we Pentecostal ministers should be honest in our dealings with newcomers. No relationship can withstand deception, especially church relationships.

I honestly do not believe it is proper to tell a potential visitor/convert, who has expressed concern over our standards, to "just come as you are, and God will take care of that." I think they should know what will be expected of members of the local assembly. It is wrong to minimize things we will later tell them are extremely important.

I am not, by any means, advocating beating them over the head with our standards. I am just saying that we should not be ashamed of who we are, and what we believe. "Bait and switch" tactics have no place in Oneness Pentecostalism.